


Au Naturel

by whereareyoucas



Category: X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - Fandom, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Charles Xavier has a Ph.D in Adorable, Erik is a Troll, Erik makes dick jokes, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Nudism, Nudity, Oh Dear, Poor Charles, Romantic Comedy, atleast it's supposed to be a comedy!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-19
Updated: 2015-05-24
Packaged: 2018-03-31 07:53:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3969955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whereareyoucas/pseuds/whereareyoucas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The one where Erik tells Charles that he's a nudist.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is (supposedly) a comedy, and Erik is a dick, and Charles gets flustered a lot and... yep, I hope you enjoy :) comments are appreciated as heck ~~~

The high-rise apartments of New York City were just like heaven. Charles loved it, he loved it even more than his old bedroom in Xavier mansion (which was a big statement, considering his old bedroom had been 30ft long, had an ensuite bathroom, and a balcony that looked out onto his own private swimming pool). But even that could not beat the view of the scuttling city, from high above the clouds. Look left and right and see a breath-taking skyline, alit by an even more breath-taking sky and wonder at the mingling of man’s accomplishments, and the Earth’s wonderful, mind-boggling beauty. Look down and see the ant-people rushing around, going to work, getting coffees, busking, jogging, standing, living. So many different lives, such vibrant diversity, all linked through walking down this one street in this one city, watched by Charles. Basically: this stuff was poetry-worthy.

However, these weren’t Charles’ favourite views. His favourite view was straight across the street, to a similar apartment building to his own. The huge windows were all small screens, giving Charles a silent television show of all his neighbours lives. One may consider this awfully rude and nosy to look into people’s windows so often, but Charles got such joy through it (and it wasn’t as if he had a telescope or anything creepy like that- Raven had drawn the line there, telling Charles that he’d probably get arrested if anyone saw him). It was also a two-way thing- his window was just as big as anyone else’s, just as brightly lit. If he was looking at someone in their apartment, they were bound to look back soon, which made it not creepy.

The reason that this people-watching was far better than the people-watching on the streets was that it was more personal- Charles got to build a rapport with a lot of them. He was on waving-basis with over a dozen tenants, and one woman had even recognised him on the street, and so they started having coffee with each other on Tuesday mornings. Charles admitted, it was clichéd. How many sitcoms had they done this on now? But at least he had never gone so far as to do a Taylor Swift- that is, to write messages on a big sheet of paper. He’d thought about it, but really, it was a bit too cheesy, right? Charles had to keep some dignity.

This was about to change though, and for all the wrong reasons.

Charles had just got home from a long day of marking students’ essays, and tiredly went to fetch himself a cup of tea. He then positioned himself comfortably on his armchair that angled out to the City, and opened his book (the pretence of reading a book was another way to make him look like a bit less of a creep- no telescope, and an open book). His eyes drifted easily away from the words, and he looked up, drawn to some movement in one of the top apartments. Ah, one of his waving buddy’s had just got in. Charles waved enthusiastically and received an amused wave back. He called this resident Havoc on accounts of how often his apartment seemed to fall into chaos. Sometimes it seemed like Charles would look away for a matter of seconds, and when he looked back there’d be armchairs overturned and papers all over the floor. Behind Havoc a young African-American man followed, who seemed to point to Charles and say something to Havoc. With a grin on his face, Havoc nodded and went to the window, giving a happy shrug to Charles and then ceremonially drew his curtains. Bow chika wow wow.

Charles smirked to himself, and then let his eyes wander again. He was brought to an apartment that was near enough opposite his own. It looked like someone had just moved in, judging by the cardboard boxes stacked throughout the room. Great- a new neighbour. Charles, a people-person ever eager to meet new… people. After all, strangers are just friends you haven’t met yet. (And yes, he did receive dirty looks and a chorus of ‘ugh’s every time he said that out loud).

Charles jaw dropped open when the new neighbour came out from what he knew to be the bathroom (it was a mirror of his own apartment’s layout). First of all, he was in the nude. Second of all, he looked like a Greek God, or at-least half Greek-God. Third of all, he was in the nude. Charles really didn’t mean to stare but- this guy. This guy was chiselled into pectoral perfection, defined muscles galore. His waist to shoulders ratio was positively sinful. His face was so attractive it was like a… like a magnet. (Ok, Charles was beginning to run out of worthy similes). But there were no words worthy for this man’s looks! Charles hadn’t even got to describing his huge… personality. No. Charles didn’t have to censor his own thoughts. This guys dick was huge. Shit. He bent down to root through a box, thigh muscles making Charles mentally salivate.

Oh, shit.

Charles _really_ didn’t mean to stare. But it seems he had been- and he’d been caught. The man found whatever he was looking for in the box, stood up and looked straight at Charles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> how many times am i going to fit 'bow chika wow wow' into a fic? who knows


	2. Chapter 2

Erik had just moved in, today. It had been a horrible, hectic day. All his stuff was sent from his old family home at 7am by hired mans-with-vans. He’d also been shipped off at 9am, on a two-hour train journey to NYC. But his journey had went very wrong (wrong trains, wrong tickets, wrong seats, and very grumpy train conductors) and seven hours later than he expected, he got to his apartment block. He was so shattered, that once he’d finally got into his new home, he couldn’t even be bothered to look around the place.

This was probably a mistake seeing as he’d never even been there before. He’d seen pictures, but it was his friend and new-colleague Emma Frost who had picked out the den for him. Ah, yes. Erik could blame this whole day on Emma, even if she had managed to get him a new job, a new apartment and a new life in the big apple, a predicament Erik actually quite fancied. It was better than being a dead-end office worker in a dead-end town.

The only thing Erik had enough energy to do right now was find the bathroom, so he could have an extra-long shower. He ignored the fact that he didn’t know where any of his belongings were (packed in unmarked boxes) and that he didn’t even know where a lot of his furniture had got to. He just needed that shower.

The water pressure was amazing. Erik could feel his stress and tiredness drift away, along with the steam that was slowly filling the bathroom. Luckily, the removal men had had enough common sense to put Erik’s plastic box of toiletries in the bathroom. As Erik rinsed his hair for the second time, deciding he’d wasted enough water, he realised that the removal men had not had enough common sense to put the towels in the bathroom.

Oh well, Erik was used to living on his own so was no stranger to walking around naked. It was just that, he had no idea where the towels were. So he came out of the bathroom, eyes zeroing in on a big cardboard box that had a German fruit brand’s name on it, that he thought could possibly, maybe hold within it a delicate ornament that he’d wrapped in a big fluffy towel to keep it safe. That would have to do. He walked over to the box, opened it and started rooting around it. He’d found it! Triumphantly standing up, he raised his eyes to the large window  and-

Erik jumped. When he looked up his eyes met a pair of startled blue ones. There was a man in the apartment block opposite staring at him. A frown passed across Erik’s face as he for the first time noticed the view from his large window. Emma had said it was magnificent. Erik regarded the man: an endearing mop of dark hair fringed his bright eyes, and he was sat in an old armchair looking very sweet with a book in one hand and a mug in the other, and a pretty blush spreading across his cheeks. In short, he was kind of adorable.

The guy he was looking at began to get very flustered when he realised Erik was looking right back at him, and Erik couldn’t think why. He could only think how adorably goofy it was, the man’s hands fluttering about as he shook his head and seemed to mouth something, the blush on his cheeks getting worse and worse as Erik just stared at him in confusion. Suddenly the man leapt up, spilling tea or coffee on himself, which he seemed to barely notice as he held up one finger to Erik, telling him to wait a moment as he fled the room.

The man hurried back in the room, still looking as embarrassed as ever, and he started writing something on a drawing pad. Oh shit, this guy was going to Taylor Swift him. Painfully cheesy, but Erik was curious enough to keep watching, as the guy held up his first message. **SO SORRY** it read in big letters. The next page read **NOT A PERV**. Slowly Erik’s countenance of confusion began giving away to a countenance of horror. Erik was naked. Erik was stood there, butt naked. The flustered man probably looked more horrified than Erik at that moment though. It seems he’d taken Erik’s look of horror as a sign that his desperate signed messages were not being received as he’d hoped. He held up a third page reading **MISUNDERSTANDING**.

Erik pieced together what had just happened. The man across the street thinks that Erik thinks he’s a pervert, for looking at him naked. Erik had to hold back a laugh. He could actually empathise with the man a bit- he was well aware that his body was -as Emma put it- positively scrumptious. And Erik was quite body confident, he didn’t really mind people seeing him naked, even if it had been an accident. After all, he hadn’t mentioned what his new job that Frost had got for him was. Erik was an underwear model.

Erik was enjoying how flustered the cute man across the street was getting, so kept his smile sternly away from his face, as the man started writing again. He held it up with his eyebrows raised at a begging-angle. It was his phone number.

Score!

Erik fetched his mobile phone, then entered the man’s number.

“Hello?” a voice answered, slightly desperately. Erik had turned away from the window to phone the man, but now he looked over his shoulder to watch him speak. The man couldn’t seem to decide between being polite and looking at him when speaking to him, or being polite and not ogling his bare ass.

“Hello,” Erik answered calmly.

“Look, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to-” the voice started. It was a nice voice, Erik decided.

“What’s your name?” Erik interrupted.

“I was just- er. Charles. It’s just that I-”

“Erik.”

“A pleasure to meet you Erik, but I really need to explain myself, I was not-”

“Hey,” Erik interrupted once more, if just to make Charles squirm even more. “Why don’t you explain it to me over coffee tomorrow morning? Say, eight?”

“I- really?” Charles answered, for the first time speechless.

“Yes. I’m new around here, so perhaps you could suggest where to meet?” Erik asked smoothly.

“Um, of course, yes. There’s a very nice place in the lobby of my apartment building actually, if you want to-”

“Great. I’ll see you there. Good night,” Erik said, then hung up. Erik turned around, nodded coolly to Charles across the street, who to Erik’s great amusement, had his mouth hanging open and _still_ that adorable blush across his cheeks. He barely pulled it together enough to nod back to Erik before he retired to his bedroom. It’d been a long day after all.

It was a good thing that the first room Erik went into happened to be his bedroom. It would’ve rather ruined his cool to walk into a closet, or the kitchen. Also, Erik remarked, he should’ve drawn the curtains. It was too late now though. He couldn’t go back out, in case Charles was still there. So he found some blankets in a box and made his bed haphazardly, not bothering to do anything properly tonight. Tomorrow, he’d start unpacking, find his proper bedsheets, and move the furniture around more to his liking. But for now, Erik couldn’t even be bothered to find his underwear, let alone pyjamas, so he led in bed bare. He’d find it all somewhen else.

But he couldn’t get to sleep straight away. It was only 7:30pm, and he was in a new, unfamiliar place, and despite the long day, he wasn’t mentally tired enough. So he got out his mobile again, and this time decided to call Emma. He’d already talked to her earlier today, when he’d been on his last train to complain to her about everything that had gone wrong. He’d left it on a bit of a sour note as he’d been in an extra-grumpy mood, so he hoped this call now would make up for it.

“Hi Emma,” he said.

“Erik. Calling to complain about the house? Kitchen not modern enough? View not spectacular enough?” Emma asked sarcastically.

“Not at all, quite the opposite in fact. The view is… great. And I’ve got myself a date for tomorrow morning.”

“ _What_? You’ve been there what, less than two hours and you’ve already got yourself a date? Damn Lehnsherr,” Emma said. “How’d you manage it?”

So then Erik told her the whole story, which made her cackle.

“You’re such a dick, you love getting people flustered,” Emma commented.

“True. Massive dick,” Erik said, well aware of the double entendre that made Emma half laugh, and half groan.

“Modesty is a virtue.”

“Oh I’m not modest. I’m actually quite cocky.”

“Stop. Please,” Emma begged.

“Fine. So, how was your-”

“Oh my god, you know what you have to do, don’t you?” Emma suddenly interrupted, in an inspired voice. He could tell she’d just had a Good Idea.

“What?” Erik asked in askance. Emma’s ideas were always amusing, with a hint of evil. To be honest, just how Erik liked it.

“You’ve got to tell Charles you’re a nudist.”

“... _what_.”

“You said yourself how much you enjoyed making him squirm. Imagine being able to do that all the time! He’ll have to see you naked, and get all flustered and awkward, it’ll be so adorable, I can see it now.”

“You don’t even know what he looks like. Anyway, you realise that would mean I’d have to pretend to be a nudist? I’d have to walk around my apartment naked all the time!”

“You’re body confident. And besides, you can close your curtains, you know. Just do it to see his reaction tomorrow morning, it’ll be hilarious. _Oh my god_ ,” Emma exclaimed.

“What now?”

“I just imagined you two sitting at a dinner table, you naked, and him not having any idea where to look. It’s so adorable. Plus, he’s not going to be able to resist you, Lehnsherr.”

“I’m going to remind you again: you don’t even know what this guy looks like! Stop imagining me naked, Frost.”

“Fine. You’ve got to do it though.”

“Seriously?”

“It’s the only way,” Emma insisted.

Erik sighed in exasperation. This was amusing with a hint of evil verging on crazy. “Goodnight, Emma.”


	3. Chapter 3

In the morning, Charles trudged automatically to the kitchen to get himself a cup of tea. He froze halfway across his sitting room though, realising that he was actually going to be getting a hot beverage this morning with the Greek God. Erik, Charles corrected himself, trying not to picture the man’s biceps, slim hips, massive… personality. Oh god, this was actually a bit worrying. Charles didn’t know why Erik had invited him to go out for coffee. He’d sounded pleasant enough, but that could just be a front: he might’ve been inviting Charles out for coffee just to give him the chance to punch him in the face for peeping on him last night.

Almost in reflex, Charles’ eyes drifted towards his view of Erik’s window and- oh _fuck_. Erik was coming out of his bedroom _still fucking naked and still with the curtains wide open_. Would this man ever stop? Charles, being the idiot he was, stayed stuck in his position like a rabbit caught in headlights until it was too late. Charles must’ve looked a right old sight, silky pyjamas, rumpled bed hair, face in total shock and bloody hell, Charles could feel himself going bright red as Erik stopped in his tracks and looked over at Charles. Catching him for the second time in as many days looking at him _naked_.

Charles was so extremely mortified, he couldn’t do anything but stiffly wave at Erik, while being very very careful to keep his eyes fixed onto Erik’s eyes. He didn’t trust himself to look anywhere else.

At first Erik didn’t do anything. Then, slowly, a sinister grin spread across his face and he waved back. Maybe he wasn’t going to punch Charles in the face. He was going to rip his throat out with his teeth. Erik shook his head to himself, and then marched off to the bathroom, (thankfully) shutting the door behind him, effectively releasing Charles from his hold.

Charles hurried to get changed, then went straight downstairs to the café. He didn’t want to spend any longer in his apartment in case anything else happened. It also gave him the chance to take special note of where all the exits were, and if there were any security guards near by that he could perhaps subtly hail if Erik held a knife to him under the table.

After a nervous and sweaty twenty minutes, he recognised the man that came in through the glass doors. (See, he did take notice of Erik’s face, not just his body. Charles was not a pervert!) Charles hesitantly waved to Erik, who smiled and came to sit down opposite him.

“Hi,” Erik greeted.

“I’m not a pervert, I swear-”

“Hi, can I get you anything-”

Charles had said this (admittedly terrible) opening line simultaneously as the waitress had come over to serve Erik. She looked in barely concealed horror at Charles. God damn, this was not Charles’ week. Charles’ eyes boggled as he realised what he’d just-

“Oh my god, no, I-I’m sorry, I wasn’t- Please, I was saying it to- ah,” Charles began stuttering, getting more and more flustered.

Erik’s hearty laugh drew both of their attention, also helping to diffuse the situation. “I’ll take an iced coffee please,” he said.

“Great. And you, sir?” she asked Charles, still frowning slightly but now it was more in confusion than disgust.

“Nothing for me, thank you, and sorry, and you’re getting a large tip I promise,” Charles almost begged. She smiled and nodded, and left to get Erik’s order. To Charles’ increasing humiliation, Erik began laughing at him again.

“Oh, you’re going to give her a _large tip_ , are you?” Erik asked, almost giggling at the innuendo.

“Are you- are you making a dick joke?” Charles asked in disbelief.

“No, of course not,” Erik denied unconvincingly.

“Ok. Uh, anyway. Erik, I’m here to apologise profusely. I am not a pervert, so please don’t call the police on me- I accidentally saw you in your apartment last night, when you were… er… yes, and I was surprised, and I meant to look away but- I’m so sorry, also this morning, for breaching your privacy and please don’t-hate-me.”

Erik looked at Charles with half-amusement, half-something-else.

“Charles, you don’t need to be forgiven. Please stop kicking yourself for this, it was obviously just an accident,” Erik began.

“I do Erik, I will keep kicking myself for this. I’ll never look into other people’s windows again, I swear.”

“No, you don’t need to,” here, Erik hesitated a second. “You don’t need to apologise at all, because I’m a nudist.”

“...what?”

“Yep. I’m a nudist, so it really doesn’t matter that you saw me naked. I don’t mind at all.”

Slowly, the coin dropped. It made… so much sense. “Oh thank goodness, I did think it was a bit strange that you were going around your apartment naked with the curtains wide open, for everyone to see. Like maybe you were the pervert, ha,” Charles babbled, then blushed as he realised what he’d just said. “But obviously, you’re not, I’m sorry, I really need to stop putting my foot in my mouth.”

“That’s alright,” Erik assured him, then looked a bit meek. “You said, ‘everyone’ can see?”

“Pretty much. But you’re ok with that right, being a nudist?” Charles asked. Having already probably insulted Erik’s lifestyle many times unknowingly, Charles was attempting to balance it out by now being totally accepting of his lifestyle. Encouraging it, if he could in fact.

Erik kind of gulped and nodded.

“Uh, so, have you just moved in?”

“Yes I have. I moved here for my new job.”

“That’s great news, my friend.”

“Thank you. As I was saying last night, I don’t really know the area very well,” Erik began. Charles nodded for him to continue. “I was hoping you’d be able to show me around a bit? Help me get to know the city a little,” he asked. That made Charles grin.

“Of course, I’d love to help you, it’s the least I could do,” he replied enthusiastically. A chance to spend more time with the very very attractive man? yes please. Then Charles corrected himself. A chance to help out his new neighbour? of course.

“Great, thanks.”

“If you have the time, I could show you around a bit now. There are some lovely parks in walking distance,” Charles suggested, which probably sounded eager, but Charles was eager (to help out his neighbour, ok?)

“I’d love that.”


	4. Chapter 4

Day two in his new apartment. Well, technically day three, if you counted the disastrous day wasted on trains.

Erik had spent all day yesterday, exploring the city with Charles. Erik learnt that Charles was kind, sensitive, smart and adorable, and sometimes when he caught Charles off-guard, he dropped the ‘good-samaritan-and-wonderful-human-being’ guise and was smug, stubborn and bordering Erik-level arrogance. In other words, he was perfect. They talked about politics, culture and science, and found they clicked.

Charles had also asked Erik about his, how he put it, ‘lifestyle’. Erik hadn’t originally been committed to Emma’s plan of telling Charles that he was a nudist, but Erik practically fell for Charles watching him get all flustered over what he said to the waitress. It was adorable, and ok Erik was a douche bag, but it was hilarious, in an endearing way. And then there was the fact of how guilty Charles was feeling about seeing him naked, it was easy for Erik to tell himself that the lie of being a nudist was actually a Good Deed. It made Charles feel much better, ergo it was the gentlemanly thing to do. So that was why he decided on the spot to tell him he was a nudist. It was going to please Emma no end.

Then he managed to justify prolonging the lie to himself throughout his day with Charles. Reasons like, the longer he left it the more awkward it would be to tell him he was kidding, and he didn’t want to ruin a good day. It also made quite a good conversation topic, and showed him that Charles was an accepting and non-judgemental person. And finally, he was going to reap the benefits next time Charles saw him naked- the blushing, the stuttering, and probable sexual tension, going by the way Charles had been looking at him throughout the day. Next time Charles saw him naked- wow, Erik was already planning a next time.

So he explained (bullshitted) to Charles that being nude gave him a freedom he couldn’t experience through any other means. It made him feel closer to nature, even in the middle of a metal city. Charles had nodded sincerely, as Erik apparently dug himself deeper.

Once Erik had got home, he’d retired straight to bed again, and in the morning came out to several towers of boxes. Strangely enough, they hadn’t unpacked themselves while Erik had been away. He found some clothes, and then began the boring task of unpacking with a cup of coffee to accompany him. It was going to be a long day.

Or not. He was carrying a box to his bedroom when it split open, and out fell several heavy books. The heavy books subsequently fell open, and out rolled many coins.

The crash of that box falling almost disguised the sound of someone knocking on Erik’s door at the same time.

“Just a minute!” Erik yelled. So yes, Erik had a coin collection. He wasn’t proud. Well, that was a lie- he was proud of his substantial collection of old and rare and weird coins, but he would never admit that to anyone. What would people do if they found out that cool, suave Erik was nerdy enough to collect coins? It wouldn’t do. Which is why it was a secret hobby, and Erik was currently scrambling to pick up all the coins as silently and quickly as possible so as to answer the door. He had no idea who it could be- possibly friendly neighbours.

He answered the door a minute later, looking dishevelled. It was a friendly neighbour for sure.

“Erik, hi. Sorry I didn’t call ahead, but I realised you might want a hand unpacking. It can be awfully boring.” Charles Xavier, ever willing to help out. Damn his kindness.

“Oh, thank you. You don’t need to trouble yourself though.”

“It’s no trouble,” Charles smiled, then walked in, leaving Erik to close the door behind him. “Where shall I start?” Charles asked, rubbing his hands together. “I love sorting things- oh,” Charles interrupted himself. He seemed to be noticing how rumpled Erik’s shirt was (from laying on the floor trying to get the coins that had rolled away). “You took a while to answer the door,” Charles began.

“Hah, yeah, uh I was just…” Erik trailed off, not able to come up with a lie fast enough.

“You were putting your clothes on. Erik, please. You don’t have to do that for me. I want you to be as comfortable as possible,” Charles said, eyebrows at a sympathetic angle.

“Oh, yeah, I suppose,” Erik said. Charles was asking Erik to take his clothes off, the second day he knew him. Without context, that was kind of hilarious. He could practically hear Emma’s evil laugh. “I don’t mind though, if it’s going to make this awkward,” he added.

“Please don’t be clothed on my accounts, it’s your house, do as you want,” Charles insisted good-naturedly. Ok Charles, Erik thought, you’ve brought this upon yourself.

Erik nodded and smiled slightly as on the spot, he took off his shirt, making sure to expose his abs well. He had experience of looking good half-undressed thanks to his modelling job, and it was a testament to that when Charles looked away then looked back at Erik then looked away again. Erik then moved onto his trousers and- yep. There was that blush again. Erik didn’t think he’d ever tire of it. This is why pretending to be a nudist was a good idea.

Finally, Erik slipped off his underwear, and smiled at Charles as he went to go put his clothes on his bed. Charles smiled weakly back. Bless his soul, Erik thought, he was trying so hard not to stare. It was quite flattering really.

So that was how Erik was spending his third day in the apartment. Unpacking his stuff, naked, with his new friend Charles. This was the weirdest second date in the history of dating- except they weren’t dating. Except it almost felt like a date, perhaps due to the furtive glances they kept giving each other. Usually Erik would’ve been straight in, making the first move (as he had with asking Charles out for a coffee) but now Erik wanted to leave it up to Charles. He felt it was unfair to proposition a guy, while naked. Plus, he was enjoying how Charles was obviously having an internal battle every time he looked at Erik.

Erik took every opportunity to lean in close to Charles. Brushing against him when they passed through doorways, shoulders touching as they lifted a heavy box together, the works. And it was almost too much fun squatting opposite Charles to pick something up- yes it could be said that Erik had no shame when it came to his body, especially using it to embarrass Charles. In one intense squatting session, Charles got so flustered that he accidentally bumped his head on a nearby ledge. Erik immediately felt guilty, as Charles hissed in pain. He automatically swept closer, about to search Charles head for any damage when Charles tensed.

“I’m sorry, I’ll go put some clothes on Charles,” Erik said. His nudity was now injuring people.

Charles shook his head. “No, don’t be silly, it’s just me being clumsy as usual,” he insisted. As if to prove this, he tilted his head into Erik’s hands.

Tentatively, Erik combed his head for bumps. “Does that hurt?”

“Nope. That feels quite nice actually,” Charles almost purred.

“As long as I’m not making you uncomfortable,” Erik fretted, still combing his hands through Charles’ hair gently.

“Quite the opposite in fact,” Charles thought out loud. This made Erik feel less guilty.

As they were unpacking his books, an interesting discussion was struck up about _Les Miserables_ and for a moment they both forgot that Erik was naked. It was actually quite nice. Then Charles dropped his eyes from Erik’s, to his lips, and then down, and then remembered all over again how naked Erik was.

“I-uh, what was I saying? Hah, I’ve l-lost my train of thought,” Charles said, getting more embarrassed as he tried to get back on track. Erik was grinning an evil grin. “Anyway, yes. Quite long and hard, but-” Charles had been talking about the book. He stopped speaking, once again mortified. Erik couldn’t stop himself full-on chortling this time, and Charles sighed out of frustration.

Then something caught Charles’ eye.

“Here, Erik you must’ve dropped this. It’s a quarter… no, it’s a… I don’t know what it is,” Charles admitted, picking up the silver coin that had rolled between some books.

“It’s a thrupence, from the reign of George V,” Erik said, taking the coin from Charles, then belatedly realising what he’d just said.

“Wow, do you collect them?”

Well, he guessed Charles had had enough embarrassment over the last two days. It was time for Erik to share in it.

“Yes,” Erik admitted, as if he’d prefer to be admitting to multiple homicide. He looked up at Charles, expecting to see at least a mocking smile. But instead, he was met with genuine interest.

“That’s fascinating, my friend.” Erik shrugged off the compliment, and now it was Charles’ turn to look guilty. “I, too collect things.”

“What?”

“I’m almost embarrassed to say. You’re going to think I’m such an old man,” Charles said, looking down sheepishly. God damn, Erik had said this to share the burden of embarrassment, not put even more on Charles.

“It can’t be more embarrassing than coins,” Erik attempted.

“I’m a philatelist.”

“Does that mean you collect phallic objects?” Erik smirked. He couldn’t help himself. Charles eyes widened and his mouth fell open, but he pointedly kept eye contact with Erik.

“No! I collect stamps!”

“Oh! My mistake,” Erik grinned. “That’s interesting. I’d love to see your collection some time, I bet it’s captivating.”

“Are you mocking me?”

“Am I, a coin collector, really in a position to mock?” Erik asked. He genuinely was interested in seeing Charles’ stamp collection- it’s just that he didn’t think it was possible to say that without sounding awfully sarcastic. Erik decided to make up for it and god, this was becoming a competition of who could embarrass themselves the most. Except Erik was cheating the competition by walking around naked.

“Come on, let me show you my collection. I have an exquisite Pfennig from 1875.” Erik almost cringed at saying that outloud. He thought it was awesome, but he recognised how lame it sounded. Charles seemed interested though. He was probably just being nice.

Well, hopefully the fact that Erik had a ‘smokin’ hot bod’ (quote from Emma, not himself) made up for his nerdy coin collection, Erik thought as he walked ahead of Charles, making sure not to slouch so as to show off his deltoids. He may have also been subconsciously tensing his butt muscles. Who could blame him. Charles’ loud swallow was well worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thankyou for reading!!!!


	5. Chapter 5

Charles was sure he was going to die of sexual frustration. He’d known Erik for two and a half weeks now. He’d seen him naked on fourteen different occasions, and yes, he was counting. Yet, he’d still failed to make a move, which was due to a mixture of reasons.

Charles didn’t want Erik to think he was taking advantage of his lifestyle- naturalism was a respectable and liberating practice of getting closer to nature, but Charles’ thoughts went to the gutter every time he saw Erik naked. It apparently didn’t matter how many times he saw him naked either: he had the same reaction he did when he first caught sight of Erik, which was inconvenient to say the least. So he’d innocently be reading a book in the sitting room, or doing housework, and his gaze would wander and bam. Charles freezes, staring at Erik. But now at least, Erik would look up and smile at Charles, releasing him from his trance, and effectively flooding warmth back through his body.

See? It wasn’t just about Erik’s physique. It was a lot Erik’s personality: they just clicked. Charles could easily see himself falling in love with Erik. But that brought him back to the problem of making a move. Another reason he couldn’t was that he was always too flustered around Erik. He had really regressed back into his teen years, when he wouldn’t be able to get the words ‘would-you-like-to-go-on-a-date-with-me’ past his lips to his high school crush. Whenever a moment between him and Erik presented itself, Charles’ brain would almost always spoil it by making Charles stutter, and blush and want to kick himself for being such an idiot.

Plus, there was always the chance that Erik wouldn’t be interested. But Charles decided that was pretty unlikely. In fact, he was pretty sure Erik was making him flustered on purpose: no normal person squatted that much.

It wasn’t of immediate concern either way, because Charles was enjoying his company, despite the blue balls.

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> only the epilogue to go after this :)

Rubbing his eyes, Erik rolled out of bed. It was a Saturday. He eyed his jeans, but decided against them as he padded out to his sitting room to get some breakfast. He told himself it was to keep up appearances to Charles, but honestly, he was actually beginning to feel the positive vibes from nudism. He bullshitted enough about how liberating it felt to Charles that it was starting to become true. Erik opened his curtains partially to see if Charles was awake yet and yep- he was. He was sat in his sitting room reading the newspaper. As soon as he noticed Erik though he stopped reading. Erik received the mandatory adorable embarrassed countenance, today with the added bonus of reading glasses. He could practically hear Charles’ thick swallow. Then Erik smiled and waved good morning, and Charles cringed at himself. Before Erik walked away, Charles got a hold of himself enough to hand signal to Erik that he was about to ring him.

“Finally, you’re awake,” Charles’ voice sounded chipper over the phone.

“Good morning to you too,” Erik replied.

“Can you meet me downstairs in twenty minutes?”

“Sure, why?”

“You’ll find out.” And with that, Charles hung up, gave a big grin to Erik from across the street. Erik raised an eyebrow in askance as a reply, then went to get ready.

Thirty five minutes later and they were on a train, and Erik still didn’t know where they were going.

“Oh, Erik. You must feel so incarcerated by each item of clothing you have to wear in public,” Charles fretted over him, petting the sleeve of his jacket.

“Yes, but that’s the law for you,” Erik said lightly. “Will you tell me where we’re going?”

“It’s a surprise,” Charles smiled secretly. “It’s a good surprise.”

Erik raised his eyebrows suggestively, and Charles raised his right back. He could tell Charles was quite excited for this place, wherever it was, and the energy caught on to Erik. They got off the train in a town, and Charles walked with him until they could see the sea.

“We’re going to the beach?” Erik asked happily. He hadn’t been to the beach in years it felt like. He breathed in deeply as he began to recognise the salty smell. Charles nodded, but intriguingly didn’t say anything further.

They got onto the sand and Erik beamed, spinning round in a small circle to take it all in. A beach day with Charles sounded quite perfect. The beach wasn’t very full. There was an old couple sitting on a bench and- Erik had to do a double take. The old couple sitting on a bench were naked. Erik looked away, slightly confused, and noticed that the lone sunbather he’d seen was too naked, and the group up the beach a bit- oh my god. This was a nudist beach.

He spun round to look at Charles, who looked so pleased with himself. He was taking Erik’s look of shock as excitement.

“This is the nicest place I could find within a few hours journey- not too touristy or commercialised. You’re always saying how liberating it is to be nude, even when you’re in the confines of your apartment. I thought you’d like this, it would make it easier to feel at one with nature.”

Shit, oh shit. Charles was too kind and lovely and- Erik had to tell him the truth. He’d taken this too far. It was going to be weird but-

Charles noticed Erik’s hesitation and started speaking again, slightly more nervously. “Ah, I realise you’ve probably been to hundreds of nude beaches before, nothing special right?” At this Erik nodded weakly, just for the sake of it. “But today, I thought I’d give your lifestyle a try. Your body confidence is inspiring, and I want to try liberate myself, like you do.”

With that, Charles began stripping off, and for once, Erik was the one to freeze. He couldn’t take his eyes off as Charles shed his clothes in front of him, and damn it, Erik might’ve actually been blushing slightly. Maybe because they were on a public beach. More probably because Charles was naked and Erik could barely form a coherent thought.

Charles beamed as he went bare, as if it was the best feeling in the world. This… was so worth it. Erik had no doubt in his mind that all the times he’d walked around his apartment naked, in view of any other willing neighbours, it was all worth this sight of Charles.

Once his brain started working again (he now understood how Charles felt almost every day), he couldn’t help but follow suite- it was a nudist beach after all, he didn’t want to be overdressed. And it made him feel so good. Just two naked humans, stood on a beach in the sunshine. He never thought it would feel so good, sand in between his toes, a light breeze going through his hair and no uncomfortable clothes ruining the moment. He felt _liberated_. Thoreau would be proud. The next few hours were some of the most carefree in his adult life, as the two of them sat in the sand and chatted, swam in the sea, ate the sandwiches Charles had packed, and to just look at each other. Erik would even go so far as to say, they frollicked.

While they were laid sunbathing (this was actually really useful for work- it meant for once they wouldn’t have to photoshop out his tan line) Erik turned to Charles.

“Charles. Thank you for this day, it’s been wonderful,” he murmured.

“You’re welcome. It’s been great for me too, this new experience, I’m so glad I got to do this, and with you,” Charles replied. Erik watched Charles’s mouth as he spoke. They were definitely having a moment. Erik leaned in closer, and Charles closed the distance and they were kissing. Erik sighed, kissing Charles’ lips delicately. It felt so good to finally get to feel his mouth against his, get to cup his jaw, breathe in his scent.

Erik pulled back breathlessly, pursued by Charles, but Erik withheld another kiss as he bit his lip guiltily. “Uh, Charles, before we, uh- I have something to tell you.”

Charles tilted his head.

“And before I do tell you, I’d just like to say that being nude is a life experience, that everyone should try time to time, it’s a body-confidence building activity, and your body- shit, it’s- you’re irresistible, Charles, honestly. Uhhh,” Erik took a deep breath. “I’m not actually a nudist.”

“...” Charles looked at him. “ _what_?”

 

 

_fin_

 

 


	7. Epilogue: One Year Later

Charles had never been the grudge-holding type of person, but Erik was the special exception.

Charles could hold a grudge for hours when Erik spoiled movie endings for him. He’d done it for _The Prestige_ , _Shutter Island_ , and he’d even tried to do it for _Fight Club_. But after a few hours were up, Charles would forgive him easily enough. Erik was a dick, but Charles was the one that fell in love with the dick. No innuendo intended.

 

*

 

They spent lazy Sundays binging on Netflix, lolling around on the sofa in their now shared apartment. Someone knocked the door, signally the arrival of the pizza delivery guy.

“Ugh, I can’t be bothered to put any clothes on,” Charles moaned into his arm.

“Do you want me to get it?” Erik offered, getting up already.

“Thank you so much darling, but please put something on, at least underwear. You don’t know the power of your dick,” Charles said.

“I’m well aware of the power of my dick,” Erik said smugly, but assented to shuck a pair of shorts on before he answered the door.

 

*

 

Charles arrived at the studio ten minutes early. Emma saw him and hugged him hello.

“He should be out soon hon, I’ll tell him you’re waiting in reception,” Emma said.

“Thankyou.”

“What plans have you got tonight?”

“Dinner, then the theatre,” Charles smiled.

“Fancy. Have a nice evening, and I’ll see you next week probably,” Emma said, then bustled away, leaving Charles alone with the receptionist.

“So, you’re dating Lehnsherr?” the guy asked. Charles hadn’t seen him around before. “Always knew he was gay.” Charles decided he didn’t like him.

“Hm,” Charles replied disinterestedly.

“So who’s the girl, who’s the boy in your relationship? I mean, like, who wears the pants?”

It was at that time that Erik appeared, to Charles’ relief. Charles looked at the receptionist.

“Oh, my friend, neither of us wear pants,” Charles said condescendingly, then smiled, hand snaking round Erik’s waist as they left together, stifling giggles.

 

*

 

Charles loved the new shared apartment even more than his old one, which he’d loved a lot. He loved looking at the beautiful sky, looking at the tiny ant-people down below, looking at the people in the building across the street, and most of all he loved doing it all with Erik by his side.

Totally naked.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading/commenting/kudosing! This has been really fun to write :))


End file.
